Head-lamp construction



Jan. 27, 1942.

. c. o. SORRELL 2,271,162 HEAD-LAMP CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 29, 1940INVENTOR ATTOR N EVS Patented Jan. 27, 1942 HEAD-LAMP CQNST'R'YUGTIQN'Claud 0. Sorrell, Kirk'svill'e; Mo.

Application January-29, 1940-, Serial Not 3' lfig259 2 Claims. (Cl. Mll-41.5)

My invention relates to new and" useful in"- provements in lamps forautomotive vehicles.

An important object of my invention is the provision of a lampconstruction that is particularly and uniquely adapted to accommodatethe relatively new sealed beam type of lamp to the older types of lampbodies.

Another object of my invention is the provision of an adaptorconstruction of the abovementioned character wherein theconstituentparts comprising the same are uniquely asso ciated in amanner whereby they may be easily and expeditiously fitted to varyingsizes of lamp bodies with a minimum of expense and labor.

Still another object of my invention is the provision of a lampconstruction of the abovementioned character that is capable of beingeasily and quickly assembled so that when the several parts arepositioned to hold the sealed beam unit within the lamp body, thesaid'unit will. be securely but resiliently maintained cation, andwherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughoutthe same,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an automotive head lamp body and rim,and showing a sealed beam typeof lamp secured thereto. by means of theadaptor construction embodying the present invention,

Figure, 2 is a side elevation thereof, and showing partsbroken away,

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure3,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure3, and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a spring clip embodying apart of myinvention.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration isshown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral Ill designatesa lamp body of conventional shape and constructionhavin an attachingstudH- extendin-g'therefrom: to provide, means for securv ing the head lampto: an automotiveyvehicle; Theconductors I 2 are received; W-ithinethebody,

I'll through: the. gromet 13; and the free ends;

thereof are secured to the terminals- H of the:-

sea-led bea'm f type oflamp, [5.

The sealed beam lamp; constitutes a rev flector l 6 'hermetieallysealedby the lens 5-l l l which 5: is fitted into the open; side IBthereof;and-the bulb l -is'disposed withinthereflector. at; substantially the;crownthereof. The-.sealedbeam typeof; lamp is; manufactured as a..unitand possesses decided advantages over the older-types- :10'f'headlights; Thehermetically sealed con-..--

struction prevents;moisture-from gaining; access to the interior-ofthe'reflector and: rusting; cor rodingortarnishingthe-same. Thislamp-there-- fore, offers a more brilliant light and; because of itsunique,- construction, it will retain'its brilliancy and efficacy 'forits; entire life. These lamps are smaller and/more compactrthanthe.older type of head= lamp and, therefore, cannot be" appliedthereto;without an adaptorconstrue.

-. tion-suitedtofit.both the'older' type of-lampbody andthe sealed beamunit;' Thepresentinvention is directed to an. arrangement that-is;uniquelyadaptedtohold the sealed beam unit: within an older and largerbody.

It is" to be understoodthatwhile I have-here, shown anadaptorconstruction. which is. par---- ticularlysuited to accommodate; thesealed. beam unit to: another and larger head lamp, body, I do notwishto restrict-the scope of the invention to this construction. The"sealed;

beam unit may be applied to. any larger casing,

of widely varyingshape and-sizeby means of the. adaptor unitcomprisingthe presentinvention.

The open end of the body H1,- islformedr with;

an inwardly offset annular flange-20, the edge: of.

which curves inwardly. asat 2-1; The-rimll has the opposite edges,thereof rolled. radially and.

inwardly and the. rearwardedge 32 thereof. is.

fitted within the 1 recessdefined-- by the inwardly offset flange 20-.

The reflector IB-ofthe lampunit l5 isformed. atits open side withanannular bead. 23;, andv the annulus 242 receives the lens H: and. isseated. againstv theouter face of thebead. The lamp unitsv l-5- are of astandard; size and the: inner.

periphery of the annulus may, therefore, be easily fitted thereto. Thehead lamp bodies It], however, vary slightly in size and I have,therefore, found it is advisable to make the outer periphery of theannulus 24 of a fairly large diameter and to thereafter cut the same tothe desired size. Of course, if a great many of the lamp units l5 are tobe applied to similar housings H], the annulus could be made with boththe inner and outer peripheries of the requisite size. The outerperipheral edge of the annulus is received between the inwardly turnededges of the rim and with the outer face thereof seated against theinwardly turned forward edge 25 of the rim.-

Lugs 26' are fixedly secured to the rearward face of the bead 23 atspaced intervals therearound and screw-threaded bolts 26 extend inwardlythrough the annulus 24 in slight spaced relation thereabove. Nuts 21,carried by the bolts 26, have the edge 28 thereof bent at right anglesthereto in a manner to engage below the extending lugs 26', wherebyrotation of the bolts 26 will move the nuts into interlocking engagementwith the lugs to hold the annulus 24 in tight pressed relation with theforward face of the bead.

As illustrated in Figure 2, the outer peripheral edge of the annulusextends slightly beyond the outer edge 25 of the rim and the springclips 29 are associated therewith at spaced intervals therearound tohold the same in pressed rela tion with the rim. The spring clips areformed with a depending Ushaped middle portion 30 adapted to engage therearward face of the annulus, and rearwardly extending resilient armportions 3| adapted to have the free ends thereof seated above andretained by the inturned rearward edge 32 of the rim, as illustrated inFigures 5 and 6. The spring clips 29 are disposed at spaced intervalsaround the annulus and the arms 3| thereof should be sufficiently rigidto hold the outer periphery of the annulus in appressed relation withthe forwardinturned edge 25 of the rim.

The edge of the flange 20 is formed adjacent the top of the body I withan inwardly and upwardly bent ear 33 which receives and supports the end34 of the substantially U-shaped spring clip 35. The opposite end 36 ofthe spring clip extends through an opening 31 in the flange and engagesthe rearward edge 32 of the rim to hold the rim securely seated upon theflange. The body II] has the keeper 38 welded, or otherwise secured,thereto adjacent the bottom thereof which keeper includes a pair ofspaced fingers 39 extending outwardly of the body through the opening40. The catch element 4| comprises a shank 42 pivotally secured to therim. The sliding block 43 is carried by the shank and'the free end ofthe shank is enlarged whereby the coil spring 44 interposed between theenlarged end of the shank and the block 43 will hold the said block inpressed engagement with the keeper 38 and the shank 42 detachablydisposed between the fingers 39.

In assembling the adaptor construction the annulus is first applied tothe sealed beam unit I by means of the bolts 26 and nuts 21. The annulusmay then be inserted within the rim 22 and detachably secured thereto bymeans of the spring clips 29. The spring clip 35 may then be applied inthe manner hereinabove described, to hold the top portion of the rim inlocked engagement with the body, and the lower portion of the rim isthen swung inwardly,

seated against the outer face of the flange 20, and the shank 42 pivotedinto latched engagement with the keeper 38.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown anddescribed, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and thatvarious changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention, or scopeof the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The combination of a lamp body having an opening and a radially andinwardly extending flange surrounding the opening, the said flange beingformed with an inwardly offset portion at the juncture thereof with thebody, a lamp having an external annular flange located within and spacedcircumferentially inwardly from the flange of the body, an annulusextending radially outwardly from the lamp to the lamp body, the innermarginal edge of the annulus seating against the outer face of theexternal flange of the lamp, a band having the opposite marginal edgethereof rolled radially and inwardly, the outer marginal edge of theband being arranged to abut against the outer surface of the annulus andthe inner rolled edge thereof seating snugly in the inwardly offsetportion of the body flange, means detachably connecting the annulus withthe lamp, said means comprising lugs on the flange of the lamp, boltsextending through the annulus and positioned outwardly of the lugs, andnuts threaded on the bolts and provided with portions for interlockingengagement with said lugs, means detachably and yieldably holding theannulus in pressed engagement with the front marginal edge of the band,and means detachably connecting the band with the said lamp body.

2. The combination of a lamp body having an opening and a radially andinwardly extending flange surrounding the opening, the said flange beingformed with an inwardly offset portion at the juncture thereof with thebody, a lamp having an external annular flange located within and spacedcircumferentially inwardly from the flange of the body, an annulusextending radial- 1y outwardly from the lamp to the lamp body, the innermarginal edge of the annulus seating against the outer face of theexternal flange of the lamp, a band having the opposite marginal edgesthereof rolled radially and inwardly, the outer marginal edge of theband being arranged to abut against the outer face of the annulus andthe inner rolled edge thereof seating snugly in the inwardly offsetportion of the body flange, lugs extending from the rear face of theexternal flange of the lamp, bolts extending through the annulus andlaterally of the lugs, nuts carried by the bolts and adapted tointerlockingly engage with the lugs upon turning of the bolts, springclips having parts contacting the rear face of the annulus and partsseating within.

the rolled inner edge of the band, said clips being normally tensionedto hold the annulus in tight pressed engagement with the inturned outeredge of the band, and means detachably connecting the band to the body.

CLAUD O. SORRELL.

